Whether your country is democratic or totalitarian, you can still get the military forces involved in politics. The need to consolidate power has opened up for the struggle for power at all levels within society even outside elections. Cotedivoire pages 114120 to what extent did clientelism legitimate personal rule in postcolonial africa. The most vulnerable places of military rule have been latin america, the middle east and the newly independent countries of africa and. Military intervention in the nigerian politics and its. Military intervention according to fawole 1994 is defined as the conscious act of displacing and supplanting an existing political order, a government, by soldiers with the objective either of governing or influencing the political affairs of the country in particular direction determined largely by the interventionists themselves. First military acquire political strength in the country, which preceded the economic strength of military. Politics from the viewpoint of the typical african politician is seen as a profession where one could enrich himself at the expense and disadvantage of the poor people and so when that happens, and the military is compelled to interfere in the body politics of a state, the people tend to give support to them. Five reasons for military intervention in nigerian politics. Political change came about far more frequently through military intervention in politics than through open, competitive. Since then, military rule has been a recurring phenomenon in nigeria. The operationalization of military intervention in politics four our model is a coup detat. Military intervention in the nigerian politics and its impact on the development of managerial elite. Upon obtaining independence from colonial rule in the late.
Reasons for military intervention in nigerian politics. For this reason therefore, their clarifications become imperative. Military intervention in nigerian politics searchlight on the nigerian army from january 15, 1966 to may 29, 1999 and civilian and military politicians in nigeria by ajisola ewuola, ajis ajet. The result is a textbook that identifies the essential features of african politics, allowing students to.
Pdf what accounts for military interventions in politics. Conceptual clarification of terms some of the important terms that would engage our minds in this discourse include. It makes sense of the diverse political systems that are a feature of africa by using familiar concepts, chapter by chapter, to examine the continent as a whole. Military rule, political regime in which the military as an organization holds a preponderance of power. A military is an organization authorized by its greater society to use lethal force, usually including use of weapons, in defending its country by combating actual or perceived threats. Are economic motives relevant to military intervention in. African military intervention in african conflicts. The aim of this article is to explain the extent to which military intervention in africa has. National rivalries and ethnic sentiments reflected in the national politics led to a military intervention. In one african state another civilian government succumbed to the military, and in other parts of the. Many reasons have been adduced to explain the frequency of military intervention in the politics of african states with nigeria as a case study. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves. Political change comes about far more frequently through military intervention in politics than through open, competitive elections.
Causes of military intervention in politics in nigeria. The context of the call for military intervention in africa. Let us take a look at the top 5 reasons for military. These accounts can be persuasive precisely because such states are indeed exemplars but not of all african states, only of significant and distinct subsets. The nature and results of military coups by direct or indirect military intervention are different. For most of human history, attaching military to rule would have been. Military intervention means the political authority belongs to military over civilian authority. The us reaction to intervention in rhodesia, of corse, will tend to circumbscribe its policy toward south africa.
The term military rule as used here is synonymous with military regime and refers to a subtype of authoritarian regime. It was the military that had dominated the politics of precolonial africa and influenced the continents history at different times. The new external security politics of the horn of africa. Modern history is littered with examples of western military interventions in africa, and although western governments cited humanitarian obligation as the driving force, the military actions often masked economic ambition. The south african government is more prone than the smith regime to accept political solutions as evidenced by their policy of entente. Thus senegal, zaire, cameroon or somalia become exemplars of african politics and african political systems in general. The last three years have seen humanitarian organizations calling for military intervention in bosnia, somalia, rwanda and elsewhere. Africa s legacy of military involvement in politics will ensure that the military continues to play a role in the ongoing processes of political transition for some time to come. French and us approaches compared stephen burgess, phd r ecent conflicts in africa have demonstrated the need for foreign military intervention to prevent violent extremist organizations veos from expanding their areas of.
October 29 alex thomas, an introduction to african politics, chapter 7, coercion. According to ezenwa 1987 one of the political events of the first republic was the military intervention, takeover into political affairs and civil war in the country within the period of 1966 and 1979. As such it is not a book to read if one is looking for a radical new analysis of foreign intervention in africa based on extensive archival research. Academic journal article canadian social science military intervention in the nigerian politics and its impact on the development of managerial elite. He further explained the causes of military interventions in politics is that military always come for the short period but history tells us military never returned back the government to the civilian in proper way.
How relevant are economic motives when states decide to intervene militarily in africa. Onder 2010 identified five theories of military intervention in politics which are socio. D student of political science at the department of political science university of ibadan ibadan, nigeria abstract the military is not by inclination trained to rule, but to defend. Foreign intervention in africa after the cold war is an excellent contribution to african studies, history and political science because of the many insights into the extent and complexities. From 1947 to up till present day, the intervention of military is very obvious in all regimes, either directly or indirectly. An introduction to african politicsis the ideal textbook for those new to the study of this vast and fascinating continent. Alex thomas, an introduction to african politics, chapter 6, case study. There is a scholarly position that holds there is no country in the world where the military does not intervene in politics. This justified the the process of militaristic mutiny in africa inevitability of military intervention in african politics.
They range from personal grievances of civilian regimes to the political and economic kleptocracy of civilian regimes. Military intervention in africa volume 8 issue 4 claude welch. Reasons for military intervention in nigerian politics the nigerian military has registered their unequivocal and unquestionable presence in the political atmosphere of the nigerian state. Department of political studies, university of cape town, south africa. Overview of politics in the postcolonial era african politics in the postcolonial era has been marred by authoritarianism, corruption, military intervention, and leadership failures amidst a broader socioeconomic crisis characterized by poverty. National rivalries and ethnic sentiments reflected in the national politics led to a military intervention in january 1966. Military in africa congressional research service 1 issues for congress on february 6, 2007, president george w. Theories of military in african politics springerlink. Understanding the theoretical underpinnings of military incursion in third world politics article pdf available in mediterranean journal of social sciences 520. Until very recently, relief agencies were operating within welldefined limits imposed by the political order established in the wake of world war ii. African international relations oau ended in 2002 and african union au began, hoping to build on successes of oau in continuing search for african unity. The democratic republic of congo as a case study introduction this paper refers to patterns of influence, control, and subordination between the armed forces and the wider social environment.
The impact of military coup detat on political development in nigeria olorungbemi simeon toyin ph. In the current crucial political situation of pakistan, military is an important factor. The military and politics in africa, in welch, claude e. The role of the military in politics has attracted the attention of political scientists all over the world. Following the 1966 military coup in nigeria, ethiopia also experienced interventions of military in its history in the 1974 at large. By the end of 1966, military intervention in politics in africa had become endemic with some countries suffering from coups and counter coups. Armies have been analysed in terms of their social and ethnic composition, training, ideology, and socialising influences. Political instability in africa where the problem lies and. Why military rule should be discouraged in african politics. The democratic republic of congo as a case study military intervention in african politics. Fako johnson likoti submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of phd. Pdf the african military in a democratic age researchgate.
Black africas armies tended to minimise their potential role in the political sphere but the rash of military interventions in politics. If politics is understood as authoritative allocation of values, then all participants in the political process intervene in politics at one point or another. Bush formally announced the creation of a new unified combatant command for the african continent, reflecting africa s increasing strategic. An analysis of military intervention in rwanda, the drc and lesotho. The paper traces the evolution of the influence of the military governance in nigeria on the development of managerial elite. Since the time of independence in 1960, the military have held on to power for a record of 29 years.
Africa since the collapse of colonial rule is visibly epitomized by the growing number of interventions by the military. As part of the new approaches to african history series this book is intended to introduce students to current findings and debates surrounding the topic. Third world perspective the developing region or the third world. Available formats pdf please select a format to send. Third world military support became a necessary condition of. African state world politics military intervention reagan administration european power these keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. Military intervention in politics is a very common problem faced by developed and developing countries. The presence of opposition groups which do not share the same ideology with those in the military has forced at times the. Reasons for military intervention in politics world news. Pdf military interventions in politics are very common both in.
The intervention of military in the political scene of nigeria was not totally a surprise to most political observers. Military intervention in africas conflicts as a route to peace. So our dependent variable is a number of reported coups between 1970 and 1980, for an 11year period. The reasons for military interventions militocracy in africa are as varied as they are complex.
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